Chuck Versus The Torture
by Venillashiz
Summary: When Chuck is captured by an unknown terrorist cell, he is tortured mercilessly. But after Sarah and Casey save him, Team Chuck finds themselves involved in a very dangerous spy war. Chuck/Sarah, Chapter 9 up!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**: Hello! This idea came to me randomly, I would say it's after the events of Beefcake/Lethal Weapon, but Chuck hasn't uploaded the new intersect yet. All mistakes are mine, and just saying, for a fourteen year old like myself, I'm pretty clueless about certain things, e.g. types of guns, areas in the US, etc. (I'm from Singapore) So have mercy and forgive me if I simply go off topic or get any info screwed up. Thanks for reading! And reviews are greatly appreciated.

I might make this into a two-shot/three-shot, if there are enough requests! (:

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Chuck winced in excruciating pain as yet another powerful fist collided with his cheekbone. The impact forced his chair to topple over, taking the weakened nerd with it. He landed on his side with a painful crash, as blood trickled from the deep gash that had recently formed on the side of his face. His shirt was soaked thoroughly by his own blood that was dripping from his facial wounds.

Bloodied and bruised, Chuck Bartowski attempted to hold in the pain caused by the fists and kicks that were raining down on him; his captors were determined to loosen his tongue by all means. He realised that as long as he didn't speak or talk, he would be in much less danger than he could be in. He suspected that he was being interrogated by Fulcrum when they had asked for Bryce Larkin, but when he had flashed on one of the men, he was surprised to find that they were from a practically unknown terrorist cell that Bryce had managed to severely piss off a few years ago.

Despite his abnormally low tolerance of pain, he bravely withstood the torture inflicted on him by his kidnappers. His face felt like it was set to cook over a pit of ember while the rest of his body was probably blue and black from all the bruising. Yet Chuck couldn't help but realise how conscious he was, but more amazingly, how he wasn't screaming or crying hysterically which by then – which frankly, he thought, would have been the first thing he would have done.

His body ached, his throat was red and raw from lack of moisture, and his eyes stung with the tears that gathered on top of his eyebags as the torture went on. He felt hard, colossal boots trample his fragile ribs as they kicked him like there was no tomorrow. He had been in that prison for barely a day, and he already felt like he'd spent an eternity in hell. He was pretty sure that the Intersect could've been damaged from his bodily injuries.

He sighed in relief when his cold-blooded tormentors finally left his cell and rested his head on the cold concrete ground. They hadn't the courtesy to put his chair back into its standing position, and Chuck was in no position to do it himself. His thoughts drifted to the last time where he was nearly tortured, along with Cole Barker and Sarah. He cringed at his cowardice then. Passing out to escape torture? It seemed ingenious at first, but it made him realize how useless he was.

Now he could prove that he was as tough as Cole. And maybe, just maybe, he'd finally impress Sarah. _I could finally be that guy, _he thought.

Just as he knew Sarah and Casey were coming for him, he was aware that the terrorists were losing their patience with him. He meant nothing to them, and other than having the impression that he knew the whereabouts of Bryce, they definitely wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet through his brain if he continued to remain silent.

He let out a loud groan as a sharp, piercing pain shot through his chest when he attempted to move into a more comfortable position - but seriously, when you've been beaten up ruthlessly, what could possibly be comfortable? From the indescribable pain he was experiencing, he concluded that he probably had a few broken ribs and possibly many more broken bones around his body.

The last and only thing that ran through Chuck Bartowski's mind just as his body went limp, were thoughts of Sarah Walker.

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To be continued... Or not?


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I apologize for taking so long to update this story! Exams have been a killer, and I've got my last test tomorrow (Yes!), and as you can see, I'm studying exceptionally hard for it. Hahaha. Once again, I'm preettyyy clueless about stuff such as locations in USA or guns, so forgive me if I completely screw it up. This chapter focuses more on Sarah's POV. Updates will come sooner when I finally finish my exams! So sit tight, read, and reviews are very much appreciated!

Much thanks to my darling friend who helped me write this fic!  
(theprincess1511) She writes Percy Jackson fics people, go check her out!

Disclaimer: I don't anything, unfortunately... ):

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7 Hours Later  
Westside Hospital

Sarah Walker despised hospitals. Granted that she had her fair share of situations which landed her in a hospital bed, she hated the overall atmosphere of the place. It felt like death to her. As she sat herself down in the cold plastic chair next to the door that led to the intensive care ward, she felt the icy grips of anxiety and fear clamp around her heart.

Not five hours earlier, she and Casey had busted their asses rescuing their missing asset from an unknown terrorist base – with the terrorist themselves being pretty unknown and not too big of a threat, other than kidnapping an important and valuable government intelligence asset – in the outskirts of LA, and by outskirts, she meant outskirts.

Already fearing the worst for Chuck, she channelled her wrath to control her every action during the rescue operation, which also meant that any unfortunate living thing that had crossed Sarah Walker's path was no longer breathing. When they had finally located Chuck's cell, Sarah Walker's heart just about stopped beating when she saw the battered and still form of Chuck Bartowski. She registered his weak pulse, and they had rushed him to the nearest hospital, which so happened to be the same hospital that Ellie and Devon worked in.

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5 Hours Before  
Unknown Terrorist Base

Casey holstered one of his two favourite guns and signalled a small nod to Sarah, as they slowly and stealthily made their way closer to the compound. It was morning, but the compound was dark and sheltered by the forests that surrounded it. Casey and Sarah decided to use that to their advantage to make a surprised grab-and-go kind of plan.

With another nod from Casey, Sarah covered their rear, while he proceeded forward toward the gate. He pulled out a silencer and deftly applied it to his gun. Taking aim, he fired headshots at the two guards with such skill that both guards fell over almost in chorus.

The compound was not heavily guarded, but with a quick inspection of the guns that the guards had carried, they definitely didn't want anyone snooping around their base. Casey could tell that Sarah wasn't at the top of her game today; it was her worried expression every time she looked at him. And hell, even he was feeling worried. More worried about getting chewed out by the General that their asset was missing – or worse, dead – than Chuck himself being in trouble. But he considered Chuck his obnoxiously annoying, nerdy, geek of a friend. Not that Casey would ever admit it out loud, of course.

With the two guards down, they swiftly climbed the gate and advanced into the two main separate buildings. Multiple gunshots sounded through the compound as guard after guard fell to the guns of Sarah Walker and John Casey.

"Walker, I've got nothing in the main building, he should be in yours," Casey's deep voice sounded through her earpiece.

Her heartbeat increased, she was almost to the last hall, which Chuck's cell was most likely to be located. '_Please hold on, Chuck, I'm almost there. Don't let go_,' she thought softly to herself, wishing that he could read her thoughts at that very moment.

She reloaded her gun with a fresh round, and peeked around the corner. At least four guards were easily spotted, standing around and guarding one of the three holding cells there. To any other agent, taking down four men at a time was a challenge, but to Sarah Walker, it was pieces of cake.

She unsheathed all four of her hidden throwing knives from her boots and threw the daggers with acute precision. Four sickly thuds sounded through the level. Quickly bending down to retrieve her beloved knives, she jammed one of the blades into the stomach of the guard who crept up behind her, thinking he could have had the advantage of a sneak attack.

Her breath caught in her throat as she spied Chuck lying motionless on the ground in the cell directly in front of her. His back faced her, and his hands were tightly binded behind his back, resulting in painful, red rope-burns on his wrists. She felt her heart stop as she slowly inched closer to his still form.

"Chuck?" Her voice, intended to be loud, came out as a soft whisper.

After gently resting his head onto her lap when she kneeled down, she rested her index finger and middle finger on the base of his neck, registering his weak pulse. It was then that her heart restarted itself again.

"Casey, I've got him, he's pretty badly injured. We need to get him to a hospital right now," Sarah spoke urgently into her watch, praying that her voice wouldn't crack. Judging by the few stray tears that were already half way down her cheek, she wouldn't be surprised if her voice went a few octaves higher than normal.

She continued to rest Chuck's head on her lap as she whispered a small mantra into his ear while stroking his untamed mane with one hand, and grabbing his with another.

"Stay with me, Chuck."

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You're a darling if you hit that big, bad review button! :D


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Here you go! Chapter 3 (: I had so much fun writing this chapter. And I have no idea why, hahaha. I'm planning on posting a oneshot in the next few hours, so.. stay tuned (:  
Reviews are very much appreciated and apologies for any mistakes and such. Oh and a reply to one of the reviews: I'd probably continue this for a few more chapters before I end it, I don't do well with long stories, haha.

And once again, much thanks to my awesome friend, theprincess1511 for helping me with this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything ):

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Chuck had barely escaped with a concussion, three broken ribs, a broken arm and a staggering number of cuts and bruises all over his body, although thankfully, he had no bullet wounds. However, the doctor Sarah had spoken to had assured that he was recuperating well in the ICU, and would be staying there for a couple of days before he could be moved to his own private room for a while. Sarah decided that the easiest cover for his injuries was him being involved in a car accident.

"Walker," the sound of her partner's voice snapped her from her dazed trance. He handed her a cup of steaming coffee which she gratefully accepted.

"Thanks, Casey," she replied, slowly sipping and savouring her coffee. She cringed inwardly when she saw by his expression that he was about to say something that she wasn't going to like. Casey sat himself down in the chair next to hers.

"Walker, the terrorist cell that we took down didn't know anything about Bartowski being the Intersect, thankfully. They were after Larkin, and somehow, they found out Bartowski's past relations with him."

Sarah felt the anger rise inside of her. She needed to put a bullet into something or someone, most preferably Bryce. How could he be so careless as to allow the terrorist cell to be left standing? – A terrorist cell of that size was simply peanuts compared to Fulcrum, and Bryce could've taken out the whole lot of them alone. Her hand itched to take hold of the gun currently hidden behind her back, but fell limp to her side when Ellie and Devon burst through the doors simultaneously.

Ellie had obviously been informed by someone minutes earlier that her brother was in the ICU and she, in turn, had informed Devon. The expression on her face conveyed her worry and pure anxiousness which Sarah mirrored explicitly. Finally spotting Sarah, the brunette doctor ran forward to envelope her brother's girlfriend in a huge bear hug. It took Sarah a moment to realize that Ellie was quietly sobbing on her shoulder.

She rubbed Ellie's back gingerly as she realized how much she had come to love Chuck's family. Despite having two estranged and distant sisters, who were both currently serving time in the County Prison in Arizona – the result of an unsuccessful con gone wrong – Sarah actually considered Ellie to be the sister that she had always dreamed of. Ellie meant much more to her than any of her estranged family members that she left behind when she joined the CIA.

"Shhh… Ellie, Chuck's going to be fine," The confidence in Sarah's voice was highly convincing, but if Ellie had been paying attention to the emotions evident in her cobalt eyes, she would have seen how unsure Sarah was about that statement. Sure, Chuck was definitely going to live, but she couldn't help but realise how close she had come to losing him.

This wasn't what she'd expected to feel.

On any other assignment, she would feel dreadful if her asset was missing – not because she actually cared about the asset, but because she was going to have a hell of a time facing the Director – And that was accompanied by the fact that she was Sarah Walker, super spy extraordinaire. She wasn't allowed to lose assets.

But Sarah Walker wasn't feeling dreadful. She felt ten times worse.

Seeing Chuck in that state of vulnerability was crushing; it made her feel like she had been tortured and beaten up too. Those three hours of not knowing where he was, and that full agonizing hour that they had taken to find Chuck in the god-forsaken compound, had taken such a toll on her heart that she wasn't sure if it was permanently beating irregularly now.

_You're in love with him_, her heart taunted mercilessly. She shook her head lightly in response, tears starting to spill from her own eyes. She wasn't supposed to be in love with him; she didn't want to be. But the thought of leaving him, or him leaving her, was too painful to even comprehend.

Her head jerked up just as a group of nurses and a doctor came rushing past her through the doors that led into the ICU. The doors were pushed apart widely, causing the door to swing back and forth with force. Time seemed to have slowed down as her eyes trailed the path of the doctor.

The doors swung forward.

The hospital staff continued their jog at an exceptionally quick pace deeper into the ICU.

The doors swung backward.

The doctor was joined by another nurse, as the group turned sharply into a room to the left.

The doors slammed shut, along with Sarah's eyes, as she came to realize that the room was the one that Chuck currently resided in.

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Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. (:


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So... This is the fourth chapter. I'm not sure where I'm going to take this story, but... I promise I'll give it a happy ending? :D Sorry for the one week it took to post this chapter, school's been a killer and I've been catching up on some reading. We should all read Percy Jackson & The Olympians! Hahaha, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and reviews are greatly appreciated. Oh and, the person who spots the minor Harry Potter reference will get Chuck Bartowski himself. No, I'm kidding, I mean I don't even own Chuck... But you'll get alot of love from me. (:

Much thanks to my darling friend, theprincess1511 for her help with every chapter! :D Enjoy!

_

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__A piece of blueberry pie  
__The official logo of the CIA  
__The official logo of the NSA  
__Several men carrying AK 47, assault rifles  
__A piece of blueberry pie_

Chuck Bartowski sucked in a deep breath, eyes opened widely.

_A rusty, old pistol  
__A pair of rounded-rim spectacles  
__Several images of Fulcrum agents  
__An arsenal of firearms  
__A terrorist cell known as "Az'kaban"  
__A rusty, old pistol_

Chuck jerked awake with a start. His breathing came in deep, sharp intakes of breath as the pain invaded his senses with full force. His chest was burning intensely, and a dull throbbing resonated from his arm, which hung from a cast. A dull ache pounded from the pulsating vein that bulged in the centre of his forehead. He breathed a little before being sucked into yet another flash.

_An alarm clock  
__A bundle of daisies  
__A folder, entitled "SWITAG"  
__Dead men littering the floor  
__The official CIA logo  
__The official NSA logo  
__A bundle of daisies_

His eyelids fluttered slightly before he was able to open his eyes fully. Disorientated and slightly nauseous from the flashes, he found himself lying on a hospital bed. The monotonous beeping of the surrounding machines did nothing to help his pounding headache, and he was left feeling drained from the abnormally long-lasting flashes. These weren't like normal flashes; No, they weren't even triggered by any related information to the intel in his brain. Chuck found himself continually flashing, and the resulting information chilled him to the bone.

Once again, he felt the beginnings of another flash. Before he could even react to it, the familiar rush of images flooded his senses.

_A battered bicycle  
__A brand new Porsche 911 Turbo  
__An alarm clock  
__Leaders of the terrorist cell, "Az'kaban"  
__A mug of beer_

When Chuck snapped back from this particular flash, however, he wasn't able to open his eyes anymore. Honest to God, he hadn't a clue where he was either. He felt numb; no pain, no more aching limbs and his noggin was no longer pounding. He concluded that the flash must have killed him, but he could still hear the sudden wild beeping of his heart monitor. The beeping was suddenly joined by a male voice and two other distinct female voices, before he lost consciousness once again.

* * *

"Chuck is suffering from post-traumatic seizures as a result of the accident. He must've injured his head more severely than the CT scan showed, or there might've been some sort of complications from the concussion that he has. But the good news is that Chuck's brain is less likely to be damaged further, despite the severity of the injury itself."

Sarah Walker had a half mind to strangle the doctor that stood in front of her. How dare he have the gall to make claims of being the bearer of good news when Chuck's life was in danger?

Ellie cried her eyes into Devon's shirt, and Morgan and Anna, both having just arrived, burst into fresh rounds of tears. Sarah stood awkwardly at the side, struggling to keep up her emotionless facade.

"Chuck has slipped into a coma shortly after experiencing his seizure. Although highly probable that Chuck will awaken from his comatose state, there is a slim chance that he won't. However, if he's in a coma, his body will definitely regenerate itself more quickly than normal. I suggest you try to make him as comfortable as possible. It's completely up to him if he desires to wake up, and I hope you know that we'll try our very best to help Mr Bartowski." The doctor wrapped up his little speech with a small nod and left them in the hall.

Sarah wasn't sure she knew what to feel. Chuck had seizures; that wasn't good. Chuck was in a coma; that wasn't good either. But she wasn't sure why he was suffering from seizures, with him not even being in an accident in the first place.

"Walker, Beckman wants a conference in an hour, we need to get to Castle now," Casey whispered, keeping his voice hushed, although he knew the others were too busy sobbing to even pay attention. Sarah jerked her head forward in a nod and moved toward Ellie to excuse herself, giving the reason that she wasn't feeling well and that Casey had offered to drive her home.

The familiar yogurt shop came into view as they pulled up in Sarah's Porsche in one of the mall's outdoor parking lots. Sauntering into Castle, the two began to tidy the table that would be in view during the conference in silence. Both spies were obviously shaken by the events that happened in the past 24 hours.

They were prepared to get their asses handed to them by the General, and were hardly surprised when her stern and infuriated face appeared on the screen, followed by a stream of long curses directed at the two agents. As she continued to reprimand them, they noticed the movement on her side of the screen. A hand popped up from the side and handed a file to Beckman. She paused for a second, and scanned through the contents of the file. Casey and Sarah watched curiously as Beckman's face frown got deeper, if that were even possible.

"Agents, get to the hospital and evacuate the building immediately. We've just received intel that there is a bomb in the hospital and it will go off in a matter of minutes. The Intersect will be your first priority, before you may start evacuating the other civilians."

Sarah felt her eyes widening in shock as her breath caught and throat closed up, for possibly the tenth time that day. She was already running out of reactions. The words "bomb" and "Chuck" together caused a chained reaction in her, and her legs carried her swiftly on their own accord to her Porsche in a matter of seconds, with Casey hot on her heels.

Entering the hospital, they'd decided to pull the fire alarm, in hopes of a quick, orderly evacuation of the civilians before heading to Chuck's room to aid him. Unfortunately, the fire alarm created exactly the opposite result of what they had wanted. People ran toward the various exits in panic, trampling and paying no heed to those fallen around them. One of those who had fallen down was Ellie, and Devon was no where in sight. Casey immediately went to her side, while Sarah helped the others who had fallen in the chaos.

With her heart beating wildly in her chest, Sarah ran into the ICU, where the bedridden and emergency patients were being transported by gurneys to the parking lot of the hospital. Entering Chuck's room, she was relieved to see that he was absent from his room, denoting that he had already been moved.

Almost instantaneously, just as the last gurney was rolled out onto the rough concrete ground of the hospital's parking lot, a deafening explosion sounded throughout the complex. Bursts of flames ruptured the inside of the building, while the sheer force of the explosion propelled multitudes of debris into the air. West Side hospital was unrecognizable, completely disfigured in the face of the bomb.

"Chuck!" Sarah yelled, disorientated and temporarily deaf from the blast. She navigated her way through the throng of people that littered the parking lot of the hospital, when Casey grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side, where the crowd thinned.

"Where's Chuck?" Casey inquired rather forcefully.

"Isn't he with the staff? He wasn't in his room, he must be with the other patients," she explained desperately, not entirely sure that she was reassuring Casey or herself.

The catchy jingle of her cell-phone sounded from her pocket and she jumped slightly at the vibration which sent nauseous jingles down her spine. The words "unknown caller" filled the screen of her iPhone.

"Hello?" She answered, her voice cracking slightly.

"Hello Agent Walker, I believe you're looking for your asset?" A gruff voice sounded from the receiver.

Sarah's stomach churned in realisation as she spoke shakily into the mouthpiece, while trying to get control over her emotions. Emotions were a liability, especially when dealing with enemy agents.

"Where's Chuck," Her voice was laced with venom.

"Now, now, Agent Walker, let's not get too impatient here. You and I both know that Chuck Bartowski isn't a normal spy, so, you might want to be careful, since we are now in possession of the Intersect."

"No..." Sarah hissed softly to herself. Tears streamed down her cheeks, falling onto the charred ground beneath her feet like raindrops. The sound of her despondent heart filled her eardrums, drowning out the mad squealing of sirens in the distance. Flames engulfed every inch of what remained of the hospital, while Sarah Walker felt the very core of her soul set itself on fire.

They had Chuck.

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I hope you enjoyed this chapter :D Reviews are greatly appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Alright! So here we've got chapter 5, and it's slightly boring but it kinda clears up some of flashes Chuck had in the previous chapter. I've introduced The Ring to Chuck already, and I didn't exactly remember Chuck saying anything about The Ring in the season finale. I'm trying to stick to the main canon of the story, but I might stray from it. Kudos to the people who spotted the Harry Potter reference! Yes, it was "Az'Kaban" and "a pair of rounded-rim glasses". I want to thank you all for reviewing, and it means alot that you guys read my story (: I don't own Chuck, but I might own Marshall Kiley? Weird name...

I'm aware that my chapters are pretty short, but I prefer to write each chapter slightly crossing the thousand word mark only. (:

A little shoutout to my darling friend, theprincess1511 for helping me with this chapter! (and every other chapter). Enjoy, and reviews are very much appreciated!

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"If Chuck was indeed captured by Fulcrum, he should be terminated immediately. Agents, we cannot afford to let Chuck remain in their hands, especially since they are aware that he is the Intersect."

"But Gene –"

"There will be no buts, Major Casey, you of all people should know the threat that Fulcrum poses to us."

"Yes, ma'am, understood."

"Beckman, out." called General Diane Beckman impassively as the image of her disappeared rapidly, before being replaced by the seal of the NSA on the plasma TV located in the underground CIA base known as 'Castle'.

Two secret agents – one CIA, and one NSA – plopped themselves unceremoniously onto the chairs which surrounded the television screen. Both faces conveyed the perfect amount of distress, panic and total disorder, and while they were bathed in silence, tension ran thick between them. Their asset was missing, captured by a major threat to both agencies. Their asset, possibly the most important government intelligence asset in the world, was kidnapped by the dangerous, rogue organization, Fulcrum.

This information was taking a toll on the female counterpart of Team Bartowski – the duly appointed name for the three-person superspy team. Sarah Walker, a legend in the espionage world, was head over heels in love with the said asset.

It was times like these where Sarah Walker hated the world that Chuck had been sucked into. Bringing an innocent and respectable man like him into this forsaken world was simply out of line. And with her ever-growing feelings for the man, she was slowly slipping into a funk whenever she was separated from him. Part of that was why she had snapped at Casey, Beckman, and everyone she had come into contact with for the rest of the day, after she received that menacing phone call that informed her that Chuck was kidnapped. Again.

It was all she could do not to go after Fulcrum herself, but it was logically impossible without any backup and Casey would probably shoot her before she could even suggest it. The least she could do was to not lose hope; that was what Chuck would have wanted.

* * *

"Sar-Sarah… Sarah?!" Chuck jerked forward roughly as he sat up on the rough and scratchy bed linen beneath him. He surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings with wide and petrified eyes, breath coming in ragged intakes.

"Ah, I see you are finally awake, Mr Bartowski."

A shadowy figure emerged from an entirely darkened area of the slightly dim room, flanked by two men armed with AK-47 assault rifles. Walking slowly toward Chuck, the man stopped in the middle of the room, his face clear as day in the glowing light, emitted from the lone light bulb hanging down from the ceiling. Chuck felt the familiar sensations as his eyes glazed over. He failed to notice the slight smirk on the stranger's face when the rush of images filled his mind and sight.

"Y-you're Marshall Kiley… You're the leader of Az'Kaban, an American terrorist cell with an affiliation to Fulcrum, but you severed ties with them when they refused your requests for more weapons and…" Chuck gulped audibly before continuing, "…The Intersect".

"Yes, Mr Bartowski, and I happen to know that I have already acquired the Intersect. You see, I made a deal with Fulcrum when they were first rallying up the agents who decided to join them. I agreed that my men would help them in whatever they needed. I am the reason why Fulcrum is so powerful today. But when I was in need of a few weapons, they merely refused me. They made a grave mistake." He turned to pace around Chuck's bed.

"Az'Kaban is not a terrorist cell. We are spies, Mr Bartowski, and we are the best in the business. I have hundreds of agents under my command, and although we are greatly out numbered, our combat skills and tactical intelligence is highly superior to any spy. I trust you know of the operation, 'SWITAG'?"

Chuck was quickly sucked into a flash, and began babbling about the contents of it as soon as the wave of nausea and dizziness disappeared.

"Project SWITAG, a highly classified operation to select the best of agents and recruit them into a top secret group known as The Ring. The Ring aims to overthrow every other agency, to be the most powerful and only agency in America."

Marshall nodded, confirming the details of his flash. Chuck frowned as he attempted to piece the clues together. Members of Az'Kaban were the same members of The Ring and they were the absolute gems of the espionage world. They were also plotting to send the espionage world into total havoc. _That__'__s not good, that's not good at all, _Chuck thought.

"Why do you need me then? What do you need the Intersect for?" Chuck questioned with slight hesitation. Marshall didn't seem too hostile to him, but he seemed like the type of imposing captors that would use desperate measures if the situation demanded it. Meaning, he would definitely shoot Chuck if he failed to co-operate.

A wide grin broke out on Marshall's face, which looked pretty scary to Chuck, seeing as it didn't belong there at all.

"Well, Mr Bartowski, I was hoping to offer you to Fulcrum for a hefty amount of money…Unless, of course, you are willing to do me a favour?"

Seeing that he didn't have much of a choice, Chuck nodded to Marshall, beckoning him to continue.

"I've seen your handlers in action, and I'm intrigued by their skill and the success rate that the three of you have managed to achieve on missions. Honestly, I'm very impressed by your team. So, Mr Bartowski, how would you and your handlers like to join The Ring? We will train you until your skills are considered legendary, and your handlers will be working with you to take down your respective agencies."

_This is bad, this is very bad. _It was one thing to want the Intersect, but now Marshall wanted Sarah and Casey as well. Chuck buried his face into his hands, trying to hide from the hardened gaze of his captor.

"Mr Bartowski, did I mention that The Ring does not give a shit about inter-partner relationships?"

Chuck slowly lifted his head and stared straight at Marshall, obviously even the spy knew that he was in love with Sarah. For a moment, Chuck contemplated his request. If he accepted this assignment, he would be a total kick ass spy, and better yet, he could finally have a relationship with Sarah. He felt then, that that was worth much more than the world.

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	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Right! So.. Chapter 6, it is! I still have no idea where to take this story, but I haven't forgotten my promise to give it a happy ending. I will definitely be finishing this story though. Thanks for all the reviews, and thank you for even reading this story. Hope you continue to enjoy it haha. I'd probably drag it along for a few more chapters before I end it. We'll see how it goes. And yes, this chapter is horribly boring, at least it is, in my opinion.

Loads of thank yous to theprincess1511! Your ideas are endless, and you are amazing! :D

Disclaimed: I don't own anything, except Marshall Kiley (Which is probably why his name is so darn weird! I'm sorry for that) Apologies for any grammar mistakes/crap.

Reviews are much much appreciated! :D

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Chuck Bartowski's eyes darted back and forth nervously as he made his way toward the Orange Orange. His barely-existent spy senses happened to be tingling, and they were telling him that he was being watched.

He picked out at least two agents, inconspicuously eyeing him from their table inside the yogurt shop. How Sarah wasn't remotely suspicious of them yet, genuinely surprised Chuck, until he recalled the praise Marshall had for his agents.

"_We are spies, Mr Bartowski, and we are the best in the business__.__"_

The two Ring agents, dressed in plain clothes and looking convincingly like two normal friends having an animated conversation, seemed to have fooled even Sarah herself. But Chuck knew better.

These were the same men who had been in his room when he made the deal with Marshall.

The deal was simple, really.

Chuck would attempt to talk Sarah and Casey into the job, but only if they were not harmed if they declined Chuck's offer. If they declined, well, he hadn't thought that far yet.

Deciding that having the chance of two more renowned agents joining his ranks was worth the wait, Marshall had agreed to the compromise.

It was a win-win situation for him. He would still have the Intersect, should the two agents decide that their loyalty to their respective agencies outweighed anything else. And if they were reluctant in giving him back his Intersect, they would just have to deal with lying in a coffin for the rest of their lives. No one made promises in their line of work anyway.

As Chuck pushed the door open slowly, he licked his lips in anticipation as the bell hung on the door signalled his arrival.

How would Sarah react to seeing him?

In the past two days of his extremely eventful life, he had been kidnapped, tortured, rescued and captured again. Yet here he was, bruises already partially faded, recently showered and standing in front of the counter with a full blown grin at seeing her again.

Shuffling his feet and clearing his throat nervously, he watched as Sarah whirled around gracefully to meet him. Stunned cobalt eyes met warm, chocolate brown ones.

Her eyes. He was so lost in them.

He was disorientated now. All his anxiety and worries were quickly forgotten as he was once again awed by her dazzling eyes, and every memory from the past 48 hours was quickly pushed to the back of his brain, hazy and forgotten.

A blush rose quickly to his cheeks as he realized how long they had been staring at each other – he stared in wonder, while she stared as if Chuck had grown Professor Dumbledore's trademark beard.

"Chuck?!" She exclaimed, worry and relief both etched in her voice.

"Uh, hey, Sarah," he replied, chuckling nervously.

Her eyes scanned his face for any indication of why he was standing right in front of her, while she earnestly prayed that he wasn't just an illusion.

"Stay. I'm going to close up, we need to talk in private," she whispered softly, careful not to attract any unwanted attention from the other patrons in the unusually crowded shop.

Making her way around the counter, she planted a small peck on his lips – which made Chuck relax a little, stemming the perspiration flow in his hands – and made her way around the tables, politely requesting that the other patrons leave the shop.

The two Ring agents played their parts well, and left the shop without hesitation or protest. What Chuck didn't notice were the two bugs they had planted under the table and one hidden near the Orange Orange counter when they had ordered their frozen yogurt.

Only after locking the front door and making sure that the shop was empty, did Sarah finally acknowledge that Chuck was safe and back in her hands. She finally let her composure break as she ran straight into him, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. Chuck grinned, almost smugly, as he slowly allowed his muscular arms to entwine themselves around her body.

She had allowed herself this small slip, but she willed herself to pull away from him only after a moment. She wiped away a lone tear that had made its way down her cheek, and strolled wordlessly into Castle, Chuck following closely behind.

* * *

"Chuck, you have to understand this. Beckman put a kill order on you, and since you're back, I'm much obliged to consider it as an invalid instruction." Sarah forced herself to keep her emotions in check, but she couldn't help but cringe when she spat out the two most hated words in her dictionary right then, 'kill order'.

"You need to tell me exactly where you were, who captured you, and what you told them. Right now."

Chuck's face fell visibly as he slumped down in one of the chairs in Castle. He swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat, before whispering, "Would you have done it?"

"What?"

"Would… Would you have gone through with the kill order?" Chuck asked, suddenly finding his worn out sneakers more interesting than Sarah at the moment.

When there was no reply, Chuck felt his heart deflate as did every part of his body. He finally summoned enough courage to look her in the eyes.

What he saw startled him to the very core of his being. Her eyes were no longer gentle, and they no longer were the cobalt hue that they once were. No, her eyes were black as coal, and they were narrowed into slits, staring daggers into him.

For a moment, Chuck thought he saw his life flash before his eyes. _Oh God, she__'__s going to go through with the kill order. There__'__s my answer, then, _he thought, feeling his heart rate increase.

"Chuck," she spat his name out in anger, "you should very well know by now, I wouldn't let _anything _happen to you. How could you think that I would just go through with such an unreasonable order? Don't you trust me?" She was partly screaming now, and Chuck cowered back into his seat, an expression of complete guilt and fear evident in his face.

"I'm sorr –"

"Did you or did you not divulge any information in the Intersect to Fulcrum?" she cut him off coldly, ignoring any attempt at apology.

Chuck's eyes snapped up to meet her eyes again. Still black, he noticed.

"I wasn't… I wasn't exactly captured by Fulcrum. These guys were enemies of Fulcrum, and probably every other agency in the government." He wrung his hands nervously. He pretended not to notice her sudden increase in tension and continued.

"They're called The Ring, Sarah, and they wanted us to join them. I made a deal with them to see if I could convince you and Casey to join them, if not, they were going to sell me to Fulcrum. That was probably a lie, but either way, they were going to keep me."

Overloaded with emotions, Sarah's face flashed from anger, to confusion and doubt, to anger again, as she realised what Chuck was asking of her.

"Chuck, I won't betray my country. And as much as I hate the CIA, I can't just go rogue and betray them, and those guys were pretty stupid to let you go. What makes them think we'll give you back that easily?"

"Sarah, I made them promise not to hurt you and Casey. These guys are absolute professionals, and not that I ever doubted your abilities, but they would probably kick your ass, along with Casey's and mine, if you ever crossed them. They practically _made _Fulcrum, but they're against them now, that's a good thing right? I flashed on them." He was babbling, and he knew it.

Sarah looked to the ground, frowning in deep contemplation.

"What do you want me to do, Chuck?"

"I – I don't know…"

"Yeah? Well, I do!" Casey stepped into the room carrying a large and fully loaded gun. Slamming it on the table, he turned around to face the both of them with a sly smirk.

"We're going to do exactly what they want us to do. We're going to join them."

* * *

Enjoyed? Y/N?


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I'm sorry this took so long! I've been re-watching Chuck episodes and trying to keep my Chuck withdrawal symptoms at bay, and I've been watching Burn Notice too! Awesome show. This is more of a filler chap, but it's pretty important, and I promise more action in the next chapter! (: Thanks for reading and reviews are awesome and much appreciated!

Many thank yous to theprincess1511 for helping with this chapter, the ending was all hers (:

* * *

"We're what?!" Sarah yelled in anger, crossing her arms across her chest, breathing in deeply and desperately trying to keep her emotions in check.

"You heard me. We're going to join them." Casey said nonchalantly with a shrug.

Chuck, Sarah and Casey were in the underground base known as Castle, and just moments before, Casey had suggested that they join the Ring. Chuck sat in nervously one of the many office chairs while Sarah stood next to him, practically exploding. Brown folders littered the table behind them while the computers that were placed near them lit up with the seal of the NSA.

"I'm assuming that you've got a plan, Casey?" Chuck asked from his perch on the chair, looking straight at the bigger man.

"Well, since the Ring has some sort of huge interest in us," Casey paused to reach into his pocket, retrieving a soundproof box with four bugs in it, "I found these in the Orange Orange, Walker. Someone's getting rusty…" Sarah's face turned to an expression of absolute shock and eventually curled into a frown as she wondered how they had planted those bugs under her nose.

"No, Sarah's not getting rusty at all, these guys are supposed to be the greatest spies alive!" Chuck said, emphasizing on 'greatest spies' with wild hand motions.

"Well, Bartowski, since you know all about them, why don't you make yourself useful for once and share with us, huh?" Casey snarled sarcastically at Chuck, causing him to recoil slightly in his seat. Chuck plastered a confident look on his face – he hoped it was convincingly confident – and stood up.

"Well Casey, I _am_ the Intersect… I can actually, you know… Share…" he said gesturing slightly with one hand.

Casey made a rather disturbing grunting sound, which Chuck recognized as grunt number 689, the 'shut up or die' grunt, the one that signalled your early demise if you failed to sedate the beast.

When Casey's eyes began bulging and muscles tensed visibly, Chuck leaped out of his seat and hid directly behind Sarah.

"Hiding behind your woman, eh Bartowski? Do you even have male parts on you?"

"Oh, for Christ's sake, will you two knock it off?!" Sarah hissed before reaching behind her back to grab Chuck's ear and dragged him back into his former seat.

"God, that hurt! You really are an alpha-female, Sarah." Chuck protested, caressing his injured ear gently.

"Wipe that smirk off your face, Casey." She spat angrily. Immediately, Casey's face fell back into his composed and stoic mask.

"Chuck, tell us everything you know about the Ring."

"Um, well, from what their leader told me – Oh, his name is Marshall Kiley, by the way – They're a semi-rogue organization that's plotting to overthrow the other agencies, to be, and I quote, 'the most powerful and only agency in America'. They kinda recruit their agents from every agency, and they guarantee that they will further your skills. Marshall told me personally that he was interested in recruiting us three."

"But why would they want us?"

"Open your eyes, Walker. Obviously, we're the best spies in our respective agencies."

"No, no, I know," Sarah allowed a smirk to appear on her face, "But they've already tried to recruit me and Chuck. I suppose this is your invitation, Casey."

"What?! Walker, how did this not come up during our conference with Beckman?!"

"Because she's part of the Ring, Casey, that's how they knew that Chuck was the Intersect, and that's how they knew the success rate of our missions. They tried to frame Fulcrum for it, and she knows that we'd never actually shoot Chuck."

Casey let out a monotonous grunt, which earned faces of disbelief from both Chuck and Sarah.

"C-Casey… You weren't…. actually gonna s-shoot me, right?"

Casey merely shrugged, before he made his way into his favourite room in Castle, the fully-stocked guns and arsenal room. Sarah and Chuck shared a look before following quietly, knowing that Casey had a plan that involved guns, bullets and guns.

"Bartowski, will you be content with your tranquilizer gun? Or do you want a real gun that real men carry?"

"Ha-ha, Casey…" Chuck laughed nervously, hoping that he would in fact be allowed to use his favourite and trusty tranquilizer gun or as he called it, 'the Tranq'.

"Casey, would you mind sharing your ingenious plan with us? Before we start, I'd like to know what we're going to be doing, exactly."

"Sure, Walker, we're going to be joining them, simple as that. And maybe while we're at it, we can take them out from the inside." Casey said, as if that were the most normal thing in the world for them to be doing.

"I just hope you know what you're doing, Casey." Sarah replied skeptically.

* * *

"Where did you see those agents, Bartowski?"

"They were in the double O, but when Sarah closed up the place, I think they went over to Lou's."

The parking lot in the Burbank mall was usually empty at this time of day, and each parked car was a couple of lots away from another. The three agents made their way toward Lou's Deli – a sandwich shop which Chuck's ex-girlfriend operated – while weaving through the empty lots in the mall.

"Chuck, I thought I told you to take it to Large Mart."

"I know, I know, Lou, but I really… Ah, can I take three Chucks to go? Please?" Chuck pleaded desperately with a charming smile, eyes scanning the shop for the two Ring agents, while Casey and Sarah stood patiently behind him, their eyes like eagles hungrily seeking out their prey. But Chuck's eyes finally found their mark – the two men sitting at a table at the edge of the sandwich shop.

Lou replied with a sly smirk, finally giving in. "Damn you and your enticing charm, Mr Bartowski." Chuck chuckled awkwardly, and cleared his throat, shying away from Lou's flirting. Behind him, Sarah allowed herself a small frown at their exchange, and the action was not lost on Casey.

"Jealous that someone's flirting with your boy toy, Walker?" Casey teased in a whisper, too soft for Chuck to hear.

"Not now, Casey," she replied through deadly clenched teeth.

Whirling around on his heels, Chuck signalled the agents' position to Casey and Sarah with his rapidly roving eyes, and they approached the table cautiously.

The two Ring agents looked up at them smugly, just as the three reached the edge of their table.

"Hello Colonel Casey, Agent Walker and Agent Bartowski. Glad you've agreed –"

"Um, sorry, I'd prefer it if you called me 'Agent Carmichael', it kinda has a nicer ring to it… than you know, Bartowski." One of the Ring agents attempted to hide his grimaced expression as he repeated his greeting to Chuck's preference. Sarah and Casey both rolled their eyes simultaneously.

"Okay, Agent _Carmichael, _I'm glad you've agreed to join us. Shall we proceed to our base?"

"Wait, wait, could we get our sandwiches first? You guys should try it too, it's named after me, you know…"

Once again, the four agents could not hold back the urge to roll their eyes, which Chuck was blatantly oblivious to. Collecting the sandwiches from Lou, they were led to a black SUV in the parking lot, with Chuck happily munching on the palate-whetting sandwich of Munster cheese, turkey, ham and pepperoni, occasionally handing it to Sarah for a bite which she gratefully accepted.

Unexpectedly, as they reached the black SUV, Sarah grabbed Chuck by the collar, and forced him to face her. The Chuck flew out of his hands and he gaped down at her in puzzlement. Sarah, with a blazing look on her face, pulled him down with her hand on the nape of his neck. She kissed him hard and pushed him away all too quickly for Chuck to comprehend.

Noticing his confused face, she smirked, "In case we die."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Alrighto! We have Chapter 8 up and running! I'm sorry it took so long. This chapter is much longer than the previous few, and it's that way, because IT'S THE SECOND LAST CHAPTER! I'd like to thank everyone who's stuck with this story throughout it's long and boring journey! It's also the first, more-than-one-chapter fic that I've written, so that's an accomplishment too! :D The next chapter might take a longer while as my exams are coming. Anyway, reviews/constructive critiscm are greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to theprincess1511, and this chapter is dedicated to her cause she makes a special guest appearance!

Disclaimer: I don't own Chuck or anyone in this chapter. I don't even own Agent Winnie Koh, cause she owns herself. (She's theprincess1511! :D)

* * *

"Chuck, I told you to stay put!"

"Damn it, Bartowski! Get back to the car!"

"Hey, come on, you can't actually expect me to stay in the car again, right? I mean, after all we've been through as a team?"

"Sure, dumbass, and when you get killed, Beckman will confine me and Walker into a car until we die of old age."

"Oh come on guys! You're in some sort of dangerous, life-threatening operation and you expect me to stay in the car? It's like you don't know me at all!"

Casey made a disturbing grunting noise that sounded something close to a wounded animal as he muttered a curse under his breath. "Fine, Bartowski, but stay close and don't make a single sound, or I'll make sure the Ring never gets the Intersect."

With a SIG P226 in his hand, and another pistol tucked securely in his waistband, Casey moved forward cautiously through the blinding white corridors, while Chuck was safely tucked between himself and Sarah, who was armed with her trusty Smith & Wesson pistol, which she had amazingly managed to hide from the Ring agents who had previously searched them – a feat that amazed Chuck to no end.

A silenced shot rang out as yet another Ring agent fell to the ground with a bullet to his temple. Chuck's eyes darted between Casey and Sarah's guns, trying to confirm who had dispatched the agent. A quick look at Sarah's smoking gun confirmed that she had indeed downed the enemy agent.

* * *

On their way to the Ring compound, Sarah had a feeling that something was amiss, and she wasn't sure if Casey saw it as well. The Ring agents that were escorting them in the SUV were exchanging looks, and they were looks that were not lost to Sarah – Looks that spelt, trouble, mischief and what frightened her, double-crossing. Knowing that they were dealing with professional spies and definitely, expertly trained killers, she wasn't so sure if those looks were meant to lead her on, or were legitimate.

She discreetly signaled to Casey with a hand, while Chuck remained oblivious to his surroundings with his mind still trying to wrap around itself over his recent kiss with Sarah. With one hand already placed on the small of her back where her knives were hidden, her other hand gripped Chuck's hand tightly, causing a faint smile to grace his lips. Casey retaliated with a slight jerk of his head, gesturing that he understood.

Without Chuck's knowledge, Casey and Sarah had come up with a contingency plan. If the whole thing was a hoax, which was a high possibility, they would take out any agents that crossed their path, find an unnoticeable vehicle that Chuck could take refuge in, before trying to take out the Ring from the inside. They'd agreed that calling Beckman for reinforcements was completely out of the question, with her being part of the Ring itself.

Their fears were confirmed when both of the Ring agents pulled guns on them before their departure to the Ring compound – a secret underground compound, underneath the "terrorist" cell where Chuck had previously been tortured – before Sarah had transferred her gun onto Chuck's person by planting a mind-blowing, passionate kiss on him – it was also too short for Sarah to even consider it a kiss, but she enjoyed it nonetheless, and she could tell that Chuck felt the same way.

The tactic worked, as the agents didn't bother to search Chuck for weapons, while they kept their eyes on Sarah and Casey like hawks. Chuck, unaware of the gun that was tucked snugly in his huge pocket, and of the guns that were pointed at his handlers throughout the ride, stared dreamily into space while his lips tingled with an unfamiliar sensation.

Their contingency plan had been working well, and they were already well ahead into stage two: Taking out the Ring from the inside. After taking out the agents that had driven them to the Ring's base of operations, they stealthily made their way in, just as they had before. A stroke of luck allowed them to locate the entrance to the main underground area, and they failed to raise any alarms by impersonating two guards that they had taken out.

The original typical terrorist-base-like compound was nothing like the underground complex. Sleek, glass-like walls were fitted at every nook and cranny, and the labyrinth-like corridor made it easy to get lost. The narrow corridors were designed to keep any intruders out – all doors were concealed, and could only be opened with a specific key card, the halls were exceptionally difficult to navigate through.

Casey had managed to snag a key card from one of the more superior agents stationed underground, while they moved through the halls, hopelessly lost. It was only when they had run into Chuck, who by the way, wasn't even supposed to be in there, had they managed to obtain some results. But all was well, as Casey had stated with a grunt.

* * *

Ok, Chuck, stay in the car. Yes, stay in the car. Be a good little asset and stay in the car. _Chuck chanted his mantra repeatedly, reminding himself that if he were to leave the confinement of the car, he would most likely die. If he didn't, then Casey and Sarah would sure as hell make sure he was dead. His hand itched to grab hold of his seatbelt buckle and his finger threatened to push the eject button. Busying his hands deliberately, he brushed away the beads of perspiration that had formed on his head. _

_The jet-black Jeep Wrangler wasn't exactly the most comfortable vehicle to be in, especially when the engine was turned off, and if it was stationary in a place that was as hot and dry as a desert. Chuck had all four windows rolled down – although dangerously easy for him to be spotted, it prevented his suffoc__ation – and he was about to faint from the intense heat that radiated in the air surrounding him. _

_But that wasn't the only thing that was bothering Chuck then. His bladder was full, as it should have been, seeing as how he hadn't emptied it since he was recaptured from the hospital. He failed to even grasp how he had lasted that long without a visit to the bathroom. _

_He rested his head on the palm of his hand. Ever since he had that mega flash in the hospital, right after he had been kidnapped and tortured, he had been having migraines that would come and go at __arbitrary periods of time. He still hadn't forgotten the flash. It held all the details about The Ring, but one piece of intel stood out most prominently – the war that the Ring planned to unleash on the CIA, NSA, DEA and other organizations._

_The details were horrifying: the Ring planned to set off a chain of events that would lead each agency to point fingers with the other – events that would include buildings being blown up, along with the numerous inhabitants of said buildings. No one would care who fired the first shot, but fingers would be pointed, and guns would fire, and the Ring would be the ones to salvage the ruins. _

_But__ the only thing Chuck could think of that moment was how he much needed to relieve himself, and fast. Scanning the area from the vehicle, Chuck ensured that the coast was clear, before he scurried out of the jeep and into the bushes nearest to a wall, ensuring that he would not be caught out in the open. He whistled softly as he emptied his overflowing bladder, while his eyes darted everywhere other than his front. _

_That was when a flash happened. _

_That was when Chuck found himself lost in a place that could very well be a modern day labyrinth. _

_After gaining entrance into the underground complex, a wide-eyed Chuck scampered through the hallways, flashing on every emblem that was present on the hidden doors in the walls. Several of the flashes forced him to pause in his step to steady himself before he was able to continue on, but miraculously, he did not run into any hostile agents throughout his little tour. With a few left turns and multiple right turns through the doors, which he was able to access with intel from the flashes, Chuck finally met up with his handlers, who were anything but happy to see him. _

* * *

"Wait, wait, wait! We've been through this way before!"

"How the hell would you know that?! They all look the same to me!"

"Because, dear Casey, I've been flashing on every door and it's been telling me what each room is for, according to those glowing emblem on the door," Chuck pointed at the faint blue glow that emitted from the wall. Casey grunted, unimpressed, while Sarah listened intently, as if Chuck's every word was law.

"This room right here," he rapped his fist gently against the door which had a glowing blue Chinese character on it, "belongs to Agent #01293, Agent Winnie Koh, formally of the Chinese Intelligence."

The three agents froze in their places when a gun appeared at Chuck's head. Chuck swallowed a gulp as the owner of the mysterious hand emerged from the room. Agent Winnie Koh of the Chinese Intelligence, stood ram-rod straight as her statuesque form stood behind Chuck's lean body. Her gun was pointed directly at Chuck's temple as she smirked slyly at the three agents who had decided to knock on her door. Literally.

"Who are you?" Agent Koh questioned menacingly, her gun never wavering, as Casey and Sarah lifted their weapons to meet her head, inches away from Chuck's while she stood behind him.

"Don't shoot! Please don't shoot. Seriously, we're Ring agents, the new guys! We're your, uh, your co-workers… co-spies!"

"Well, all the better to kill you then."

Chuck cocked his head to the side in confusion.

"Wow, that's completely off. No! Don't shoot just yet. We're not Ring agents, alright? Did I say we were? No, we're not. We're, uh… We're here… to infiltrate the Ring! I'm sorry, I stammer when I see pretty ladies." Chuck babbled on with a nervous smile, trying to muster up enough charm to save Team Bartowski.

"CHUCK! No!" Sarah yelled at him for unveiling their plot to the seemingly rogue Ring agent. Casey looked like he would have shot Chuck there and then if he weren't the Intersect.

"Damn it, Bartowski. Why don't you just broadcast our arrival to the Ring while you brief their agents on how to stop us, huh?" Casey growled angrily.

Voices travelled from the far end of the hall as a patrol was making their way towards them. The voices, loud and clear, were speaking in a foreign language, most likely Polish.

"They're coming to investigate noises." Sarah said, with worry in her voice. Considering that she was fluent in at least 8 languages, those being Mandarin, Polish, English, French, German, Italian and Spanish, it was times like these where the languages proved useful.

"Come with me if you want to live. I'm undercover, sent by my government to infiltrate the Ring as well." Agent Koh stated with her eyes fixed on Chuck, gun still aimed at his noggin.

"How do we know we can trust you?" Sarah questioned, doubt clouding her mind.

"How do _I _know that I can trust you?" Agent Koh countered back, completely deadpanned, as the sound of footsteps inched closer to their exposed position. It was apparent that she had no qualms about the patrol. Logically, if she stalled them long enough, the patrol would come by and shoot them, but not her. The only reason why Agent Koh kept her gun in place was to make it seem like she were trying to subdue the intruders. But she was offering to save them.

"It would really help the trust factor if you'd lower your gun right about now." Chuck pleaded, trying to regain some feeling in his legs as he continued his staring competition with the barrel of a gun.

"Tell your partners to lower theirs first." The Chinese agent demanded, gaze and gun held firmly in place.

The footsteps echoed even louder down the hall, just as the guards rounded the corner. In plain view of the impasse, the two Ring agents that were on patrol duty drew their AK 47 assault rifles, prepared to fire at the intruders with no hesitation, other than to take out the threat that presented itself. It was the supposed protocol to take out any hostile threats, but losses of personnel was an acceptable occupational hazard. You just had to eliminate the threat.

Before the Ring agents could even take aim, they fell to ground together in a bloody heap. Agent Koh had dispatched her fellow agents in a matter of seconds, and the gun snapped back toward Chuck's head, all before Casey or Sarah could even comprehend that they were about to have a faceoff with the patrol.

"I'm on your side." She stated with force, and finally lowered her gun, causing Chuck to breathe a sigh of relief. Still in shock at having witnessed firsthand the amazing speed and agility of the Chinese agent, Casey and Sarah responded by lowering their weapons in pure awe.

"H-how… did y-you do that?" Chuck swallowed, obviously still shell-shocked by what he had just witnessed.

"I've been training with the Ring for a long time, but no, I've never betrayed my country. I'm one of the trainers here as well, and even though no one here is any match for me, I couldn't take down the entire organization by myself. I needed a distraction of somewhat, or a team that I could work with. It seems I just found my team." Agent Koh's expression softened significantly. She reached out her hand, and smiled fondly at the group.

"Agent Winnie Koh, MSS Chinese Intelligence, at your service." Chuck and Sarah shook her offered hand as Chuck took his turn to introduce Team Bartowski.

"Carmichael. Agent Carmichael, CIA," he gestured toward Sarah before continuing, "this is Sarah Walker, also CIA, and the grunting beast over there is Colonel John Casey of the NSA."

Agent Koh's eyebrows shot up slightly. "You're Charles Carmichael? I've heard about you and your team. Very high success rates on your missions. Not bad for someone who was screaming like a little girl at the sight of my gun," she remarked, obviously impressed by the team that she had chanced upon. Her little comment at the end earned a scowl from Chuck and a small snicker from Casey. Sarah remained silent as Agent Koh turned to address her.

"Sarah Walker, huh? I've heard more of you compared to your teammates. You're the star of the CIA, aren't you?" Sarah nodded, her face suddenly beaming. Agent Koh nodded in approval, and appraised her new team.

"I'm sorry to break up this little bonding session, Koh, but we're very exposed right now. And last I heard, we were actually on a mission," Casey cut in impolitely, drawing an eye-roll from Agent Koh. Chuck shared a panicked look with Sarah, knowing that Casey and Koh fighting would result in Casey probably dying before he could even lay a finger on the Chinese agent. They weren't trying to degrade Casey, but Koh was just _that _good.

"Ah, yes, I've also heard of the Colonel's extreme sense of humor and sarcasm," Koh stated, to which Casey replied with a grunted and shrug, "Nice to meet you, Colonel Casey. I've been meaning to ask you if it was really true that you failed Seduction School twice. I was under Roan Montgomery for a while when my government sent me to the USA for training and you were sort of immortalized at his school." Koh smiled in remembrance of the charming, suave and irresistible Roan Montgomery, the man who she held a brief infatuation for throughout her days training with him.

"But you're right. We have to get out of the hallway. Follow me."

With that, Agent Koh disappeared into her room as quickly as she appeared. Chuck and Sarah observed Casey awkwardly as his hardened gaze morphed into a look of high regard as he grunted, "I like her. The girl's got guts."

The three took off after the MSS agent, hot on her heels. They proceeded into her room, where they equipped themselves with bulletproof vests and enough bullets and guns to fight off an army. They were led through different hallways by Agent Koh, although they didn't even know if the hallways were different. Agent Koh's long legs were barely visible at the speed that she was travelling at. Finally, when a lone white door was in view, she slowed to a stop.

"It's… the room of the… Ring leaders." Chuck stuttered in awe, his head throbbing from the recent flash.

Agent Koh whipped her head around to face him. "How did you know that?"

"I, uh, did some… research before."

"Oh, right, I get it. Tortured some guy, huh?"

Chuck held a chagrined expression. He didn't want to be known as someone who tortured others. He wasn't ruthless, nor was he a real agent, but he had a cover to protect, and by darn, he was gonna protect it.

"Yeah, really beat the hell outta him. Told me everything he knew about the Ring too." He told her, attempting to appear smug. Agent Koh nodded in slight approval while Sarah nodded encouragingly to Chuck, when his eyes darted to her in desperation.

"You guys ready? Do you have a plan, Koh?" Casey asked.

"I was thinking of something along the lines of charging in guns a blazing."

Chuck swore he saw a tear in Casey's eye. The guy had finally found his match.

"I'd rather not…" Chuck started, when Sarah cut him off.

"That's why you won't Chuck, its way too dangerous for you to be in there. I want you to stay outside, and when you hear the codeword, "Intersect", get out of here. Is that clear?"

"But you guys are practically walking into your own graves! How could you expect me to just leave like that? Have you forgotten Semper Fidelis? I won't leave you behind." Chuck protested.

"Chuck, you're far more important to the world than me or Casey. You have to put yourself before others sometimes, and now's that time. Please, just promise me you'll get out of here if things go wrong."

"No! I can't, and I won't!"

"Chuck, why are you so stubborn? You have to promise me! Why can't you just leave?"

"Why can't you just let me stay? I know you're trying to protect the I-Thing, but since Beckman's part of the Ring already, what does it matter anymore?!"

"I can't lose you again, Chuck!" she yelled, causing Chuck's face to take on a look of total shock. Trying to be considerate, Casey decided to walk down the hall and scout for any agents with Koh. Sarah spoke again, her voice much softer than before.

"Do you know how worried I was when I found out that you were kidnapped twice? Do you know how scared I was when I found you bleeding and bruised?" She was holding back tears now, and her eyes were turning red.

"I care about you, Chuck, and sometimes it scares me that I care so much. But please, you have to do me this one favor, and run if you hear the codeword." Sarah let a tear slip down her cheek, before she brushed them away with her hand.

Chuck stood still for a moment, his face devoid of emotion, before he stepped forward and planted a kiss on Sarah's lips – a kiss that she responded to eagerly. After a while, he pulled away and rested his forehead to hers.

"I promise, alright?"

She beamed at him, and hugged him once more. "Thank you, Chuck."

He planted another kiss to her forehead and took a step back, smiling the trademark Bartowski grin. Sarah held on to his hand for just one second too long before releasing it.

When she separated from him, she signaled Casey and Koh that they could proceed. The agents pulled out their guns and their ammo, making sure that they were well-prepared for what would possibly be their last fight.

"Ready, Walker, Casey?" Koh questioned them which gained her nods from her two teammates. She nodded to Chuck, as if to say goodbye and thank you.

Chuck stood a good few yards back, clutching his tranquilizer gun, which he had gratefully gotten from Casey. He kept the darts in a small pouch that slung around his shoulder, just in case he ran out, and stared worriedly at his team.

After Agent Koh flashed her card, and inputted an extra security code that only senior Ring agents possessed, the door opened with a click. They entered cautiously, but were alert to any sounds or sight.

A small, petite figure stood in the middle of the dark room. Sarah squinted her eyes as she aimed her gun at the mysterious person.

"You?! How can it be you?!"

"Yes, Agent Walker, it's me."

Sarah cried out as a piercing pain shot up her arm, where the bulletproof vest didn't cover. The pain forced her to drop her gun, as the blood began to leak out of the gunshot wound.

Standing in the darkness, waiting for them, was none other than General Diane Beckman, who clutched a smoking pistol in her palm.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: You all have permission to slap me at least once for every day that I failed to post, since my last update. Go ahead. Right cheek? Left cheek? Go!

Alright, after you're done with that, please hear me out. I just finished my exams, and my marks haven't been very satisfactory, at least, for me it isn't. So, it took me a while to write this, because on certain days, I just felt like crap. This is by far, the longest chapter I've even written, and I hope it answers questions and it is somewhat fulfilling for you, my dear readers. As this is the last chapter, I've tried my best to make this an exciting chapter, and I do hope that it is! Reviews would be amazing, but I'm content with reads (: Thanks for sticking through this story, and just to let you know, there will be an epilogue to come! Oh, and it would definitely help if you re-read the previous chapters, cause I definitely had to...

theprincess1511 has come through for me yet again, and has helped me so much with this chapter! Also, mhyj has helped with some ideas in this story as well! (She'll be posting her story soon!)

* * *

"INTERSECT!" She screamed, her voice cracking slightly as her lungs burned with each syllable that escaped her lips, hoping that Chuck would be able to hear her past the heavy metal doors that separated the room from the hallways.

Her arm throbbed achingly as she tore a piece of her shirt off and wrapped it tightly around the gunshot wound. Sarah winced as the pain developed from a burning sensation into a full blown inferno in a matter of seconds as the makeshift bandage acted as a tourniquet that applied pressure on the wound and eventually stemmed the bleeding.

"You alright, Walker?" Casey asked, to which she replied with a weak nod, as a stray bullet sailed past them and made a faint imprint on the wall adjacent to them. Casey and Koh immediately sprung into action as they began firing in random directions, eager to hunt some hiding cowards in the shadows.

Obviously, the other Ring agents did not entertain the idea of going against their former trainer and sensei, Agent Koh. Unlike Casey's case with Ty Bennett, these agents weren't afraid of disrespecting their senior agents. They were simply afraid of the Chinese secret agent, having witnessed her amazing potential firsthand. She was a force not to be reckoned with, and they were all well aware of that.

Another reason was probably since their former superior, Diane Beckman, whose wing many were under, laid in a bloody pool on the ground in plain sight – the result of two bullet wounds to the chest and head, courtesy of Koh, who had immediately retaliated after Beckman had fired the first shot.

Almost as if the entire battle had been planned out in detail and was being performed with near perfection, a full-scale gun-war had been initiated, and the three agents were pinned down under heavy gunfire. Unseen agents perched on the upper levels of the huge room that was meant to house the Ring leaders, began to open fire on the agents, as they moved swiftly from place to place on the ground, scattered around like panicked ants in the rain – professional, trained super ants, that is.

The dim fluorescent bulbs that hung above the heavy metal door – the only entrance and exit to the room for the ground level – were the only lights that illuminated the pitch black darkness. The echoes that sounded throughout the room, were proof that it was a big room – huge, in fact. As Koh, Casey and Sarah deftly dodged bullets, their guns were aimed high and firing at precise spots where they thought the assailants were.

The tactic was highly impractical and ammo-wasting, but they had no choice but to do just that, if they wanted to live. Several lucky shots resulted in bodies falling from their perches, but there were simply too many agents firing at them, and they were forced to raise their white flag, lest they were content with bullets in their brains.

The enemy operatives approached with extreme caution – Koh still had a gun in her hand, but truth was, she had a maximum of two magazines left. She still had the blazing look on her face; the face that could spell demise for any living being that crossed her path. Casey and Sarah felt like trainee agents as they fought by her side, and they decided that if Koh felt that they should surrender, they would do just that.

"Run."

Koh snatched Sarah's gun away, and lifted her own. In the span of a few seconds, all guns were aimed at her, and her guns were firing on their own accord. Enemy agents fell to the floor with bullets to their brains, as blood stained the cold marble floor. Koh yelled for Casey and Sarah to run, as she pushed them toward the huge metal door, allowing her to lose focus momentarily as a bullet penetrated her thigh. She grimaced in pain, crying out at the splitting pain that shot up her leg.

Yanking open the heavy door with as much force that she could muster with one hand, she pushed the two agents of Team Chuck out the door, and slammed it shut, while simultaneously taking down more agents.

"No!" Sarah screamed, as the distinct sound of a lock being activated could be heard clearly as the metal screeched – Koh had bolted the door on the other side. Sarah punched the metal futilely while Casey tried his best to restrain her. The sound of gunshots increased with as seconds passed, and stopped abruptly when a sickly thud was heard, signalling a lone body falling to the floor.

"Control yourself, Walker! Agent Koh sacrificed herself for us, and we are not going to simply sit here and let her efforts go to waste!" Casey chastised his CIA partner; he was always one to admire self-sacrifice and bravery.

Sarah nodded, and grabbed one of Casey's guns from his waistband.

"Time to find Chuck," she declared, before bolting down the hallway, followed closely behind by Casey.

* * *

"Oh, wrong room, sorry about that!" Chuck whispered, as he walked into yet another room with resting Ring operatives in them. He shut the door softly and tiptoed away from the room, while making sure that the enemy operatives remained sound asleep.

"Find help, find help, gotta save Sarah and Casey!" Chuck reminded himself, his promise to Sarah long forgotten.

Once out of earshot, Chuck sprinted down the hallway, praying earnestly that he wouldn't run into any other agents. But unfortunately, Chuck had the worst luck humanely possible.

Two burly, severely pissed off men rounded the corner, just in time for Chuck to run straight into their heavily armored bodies. For a moment, time seemed to slow down, as the three bodies collided together, propelling Chuck backwards, and sprawling him flat on the cold, marble tiled floor.

"Ahhh!" Chuck yelled in pain, as his chest ached from the painful and forceful collision. Noticing that the two men were approaching him, guns in hand, he figured that the best way to keep his life was to play dead. Right as the agents stepped within a foot of him, he pulled out his tranquilizer gun, and proceeded to impale each Ring agent with at least ten sleeping darts each.

Soon, the two agents were curled up on the ground, fast asleep with their thumbs in their mouths. Chuck took a moment to smile at his handiwork. He grinned a grin so evil, that even Fulcrum would've been proud, as he stripped the agents of their clothes and dressed himself with all their gear including a helmet that hid most of his face, although he decided to leave their weapons be. After he strapped on his bulletproof vest, he reloaded the tranquilizer gun, placing the remaining ammo into a pouch that hung on his waistband and was easily accessible. He then continued his trek through the stupid labyrinth that he had gotten lost in so many times before, trusty tranq in hand and humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme song softly out loud.

Wearing his trademark Chuck Taylor's proved to be a liability, as with every step, the rubber squeaked loudly against the polished granite floor. He decided that he couldn't afford to have enemy agents running after him with every step, and chucked the Chucks, holding them with one hand, while the other gripped the tranquilizer gun.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing down here?!"

Chuck whipped his head around, to spot at least four guards heading his way. Thinking on his feet, he flung the handheld Converses into the air, which amazingly, slapped two of the agents in the face and forced them to the floor. Chuck lifted his other arm and shot at least two darts into the two remaining Ring agents, when a shot rang out. He flew backwards as the full force of the bullet rammed into his vest – which was, of course, bulletproof.

A resounding grunt echoed through the corridor; a grunt that was vaguely familiar. Quickly finding the strength to remove the obstructing helmet, he recognized the agents who were now recovering from their battle with a converse shoe.

"Sarah? Casey?" He managed, still coughing from the impact of the bullet on his chest, as he eyed the familiar faces of his handlers, except both of them had red shoe prints on their cheeks.

"Chuck!" Sarah's eyes brightened noticeably as she ran up to hug him tightly. "Oh God, I shot you… I'm so sorry!" She apologized, ripping open his shirt to remove the bullet from his vest. Chuck's cheeks burned a crimson red, as he re-buttoned it.

"Good job, Bartowski. You ready for a real gun yet?" Casey teased as he retrieved his confiscated gun and put bullets into the slumbering Ring agents who had previously captured them. Grabbing Sarah's gun as well, he tossed it to her effortlessly. He also picked up the two ring agent's massive guns for extra precaution.

"Thanks for keeping your promise, Chuck." Sarah smiled gently, as Chuck massaged the sore spot where the bullet had barely broken skin.

Casey cleared his throat when Chuck and Sarah's exchange of smiles became slightly uncomfortable for him, jerking the two lovebirds out of their own little Chuck and Sarah world.

"Get your ass moving, Bartowski. We need to get out of here." Casey stated firmly, eliciting brief nods from Sarah and Chuck.

Pulling Chuck off the ground with one hand, Sarah held on for a second longer than necessary, before the three took off, yet again, trying to find an exit.

"Sarah! You're hurt…" Chuck's voice cracked with concern, as he spotted the bloody makeshift bandage around Sarah's arm. Sarah smiled and shook her head, "it's fine Chuck, it's not the first time I've been shot."

Without warning, Chuck flashed violently as he came across the familiar blue glowing symbol on the wall. It was Agent Winnie Koh's room. Only then did he realize that Koh was no where to be seen. Stopping abruptly as the flash brought a blinding pain in his head, he knelt down, attempting to absorb the abnormally huge rush of information into his brain.

Casey and Sarah stared in horror, as their asset began writhing around on the ground, gasps and grimaces of pain escaping his lips. His hands wrapped themselves around his head as he muttered, "Koh… Intersect… She knew…"

"Casey, help me get him into this room, quick!" Sarah picked up his feet, as Casey grabbed under his arms. Together, they hauled him into Koh's former room. The room was large – enough to keep a bed, a desk, dresser, and a weapons closet, which occupied nearly half of the room. Placing Chuck gently down on the bed, his fits of pain failed to subside. Sarah kneeled down next to the bed, and held his hand in a tight grip.

"Do you think it's a relapse from his injuries?" Casey asked, worry present in his voice – although he'd never admit that he was actually concerned for the nerd.

Sarah shook her head, "He flashed, I saw it."

"What did he say about Koh? He said she knew that he was the Intersect?"

Sarah jumped slightly as Chuck jerked forward violently, coughing and retching onto the bedsheets. He fell backwards onto the pillow, and went very still.

"Did he die?"

Sarah glared daggers at Casey, who shrugged nonchalantly.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Check his pulse."

Sarah sighed, rolled her eyes, and placed two fingers right below his jaw, eagerly searching for his heartbeat, just for good measure. Her fingers jumped with joy as she felt the rhythmic thumping of his heart, and she briefed a sigh of relief.

"Chuck?" Sarah whispered miserably, her hand caressing his face, and heart pleading for him to wake up.

"Walker, I think you'd better see this."

Sarah stood up and whirled to find Casey absent from the room. She walked towards the sound of his voice, which was strangely coming from behind the mirror. She figured that she should do something vaguely intelligent, and knocked on the reflective glass. Immediately, the mirror detached itself from the wall, and opened a passage through the wall, where Casey currently stood, awestruck at the sight of hundreds of blocks of C-4 stacked together.

Sarah, too, was struck dumb by the sheer amount of explosives that had been stored in Koh's secret room. Casey rubbed his thumb over a smooth metal shaft that he clutched in his hand.

"Casey, that's not a –"

"Yes, it's a dead man's switch." He replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. A loud groan caused Sarah to bolt back into the room, back to Chuck's side.

"Sarah?" Chuck cried out, he struggled to open his eyes, eyelids fluttering wildly.

"I'm here, Chuck, are you alright?" she asked, concern etched in every aspect of her voice. His eyes finally cracked open, as his swirling pools of chocolate peered into turquoise ones. A smile lit up on his face, as he realized that his hand was in hers, grasped tightly, as if he were her lifeline.

"My… my head, it was burning… It was so painful." He sat up on his elbows, looking from Sarah to Casey, and back to Sarah. His eyes widened, "Where's Koh? Why wasn't she with us?" He asked, looking around the room.

Sarah took on a pained expression while she recounted Koh's earlier heroics to him, all the while facing the floor. Chuck deflated visibly, and so did Casey. The Chinese agent had really left an impact on them.

"She knew I was the Intersect. She edited the Chinese symbol, and it unlocked something in the damn computer. I don't know what she did, but it told me details –

Details about her plan, her bomb," he explained, grimacing from the splitting migraine that he had.

His eyes drifted to Casey's clutched hand, and the silver tube in it. Jumping out of bed, he sprung over to where Casey stood, leaning against the wall.

"That's it! That's the detonator! She has a whole stash of C-4 behind the mirror, and she was on a suicide mission. She spent 5 years gathering the C-4, not wanting to attract attention to herself when she brought the explosives in. She was going to blow the place to the high heavens…" he trailed off, amazed at Koh's astounding perseverance.

"And that's what we're going to do. But first, we need to get out of here."

Casey reached for the door, but retreated backwards and hid behind the door, as Marshall Kiley, the leader of the Ring stepped into the room, flanked by four armed guardsmen.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" he sneered at them, failing to notice that Casey was safely hidden from view.

"You," Marshall pointed at Chuck. "Why are you still alive?" He paused to glare at his guards, and spat through gritted teeth, "Why is he still alive?"

Chuck spoke to one of the guards, "He really wants me dead, doesn't he?" Shaking his head, he spoke again, trying his best to stall them, "do you ever get tired of this?"

But the guards were expressionless stoic super soldiers with no sense of conscience, and they raised their firearms on Marshall's command. Chuck was marveled at the amount of authority that the man had on his men. Marshall couldn't have been any older than thirty, and yet, he controlled legions of agents that would probably form a human shield around him if the situation demanded it.

His dirty blonde hair didn't help to promote fear much, but it made him look like the young, over-ambitious type of rich man's son – handsome, smart, and pure evil. And judging by the success of the Ring, it was a completely legitimate ambition that he had chosen.

"Why are you doing this?" Sarah asked, anger seeping into her voice.

Marshall raised his hand, and his men lowered their guns. Instead, they split themselves into pairs. Two men stood behind Chuck, tying his hands with rope, while the two that stood behind Sarah did the same. They then returned back to Marshall, once again aiming their guns at Chuck and Sarah.

"Why am I doing this?" Marshall repeated, an expression of pure hatred quickly blossoming on his face. "How about, because my parents abandoned me when I was a kid, for their jobs at the company… how about that?"

"How about, because I had to grow up without a dad or a mum, because they were somewhere in the world assassinating someone, instead of being at home, spending time with their son… Is that a good enough reason for you?" Marshall began to laugh, as tears began to fall from his eyes. He channeled his pent up anger into chortles and soon, his booming laughter began to escalate.

"I saw my parents get killed, right in my own home, by their own agents, when they tried to leave the CIA…" He hissed through clenched teeth, as tears continued their way down his cheeks. "I hate espionage. I fucking hate you bloody spies!"

He took a moment to compose himself, retreating behind his calm and collected mask. He shifted his head from left to right, cracking it in the process, and very coolly wiped the tears away with the back of his hand.

"I thought… what if there were no more spies in the world? What if I wiped them all out, one by one? That way, only the best spies would remain and you have to admit, we are the best." Marshall grinned smugly, the previous five minutes completely forgotten in his eyes.

Chuck felt a slight tugging in his chest for the man who stood before him – the man who held his fate in his hand; the man who could very well spell his death. But beneath that façade was an angry and broken soul, someone who was stunted from the love any child should have been given. For the ever emotional and feeling Chuck, he couldn't help but have an inkling of pity for the man in front of him.

Chuck understood what Marshall was going through, with his own mother's departure and his dad's eventual disappearance. Somewhere deep inside Marshall, was the same lost and unloved child that had witnessed the death of his parents, scarred by their seemingly negligent attitude for him and their attachment to their jobs as secret agents. Clearly he had never experienced the care and love of a sister such as Ellie, and Chuck knew that he would never have made it without her.

"Sir, we just recovered Agent Koh's body from the Elder's room." A helmetless soldier walked into the room, informing his boss of the current situation. Chuck immediately flashed upon seeing his face, and had no problem recognizing the right-hand man of Marshall's, Miles Nathanson.

Something was off about Marshall, however, as his face slipped into a mask of pain, before he recovered himself. To an unobservant eye, it would seem as if Marshall was simply twitching his features, but Chuck recognized that face, as did Sarah, Casey and even Miles. It was pain; deep, excruciating and agonizing pain.

It didn't take long for Chuck to figure out that the leader of the Ring had been in love with Agent Koh.

"You loved her…" Chuck breathed, his voice barely audible in the silence that engulfed the room. Marshall's eyes flickered briefly to Chuck, his face, a pale resemblance of what it had been not five minutes ago.

"You were in love with her and you ambushed her!" He finally found the voice to yell fiercely, but he was treated with a hard slap to the face. Sarah squirmed in her place, feeling like she had been slapped herself.

"I didn't ambush her!" Marshall roared into Chuck's face. His voice immediately softened. "She… She wasn't supposed to be there. I didn't know she was working with your team."

"But she was trying to infiltrate the Ring, like we were. You stopped her from doing that, didn't you?"

Marshall signalled for his men to exit the room, and sighed when Miles stubbornly refused to leave with the rest of the agents. A silent exchange went on between the Ring's two top agents, and Chuck and Sarah sat nervously, unsuccessfully tugging on the tightly knotted ropes that bounded them to their chairs.

With eye contact established with Casey, who had earlier immersed himself in hiding behind the door, Sarah began to saw on the rope with the knife that she kept in between her waistband. As the ropes loosened around her wrists, she shot a subtle look at Casey, and their silent ten second countdown began.

As their mental timers went off inside the crevices of their minds, Casey leaped out from behind the door, catching Marshall off guard, and successfully head-butted him into the wall. Sarah, on the other hand, engaged Miles in hand-to-hand combat, using the remainders of the rope to her advantage.

Dodging a blow to the head, Sarah could understand why Marshall had picked Miles to be his second-in-command. The man was a tactical genius, always dodging her blows and countering her every step, just by observing her style of fighting. If she concentrated on him well enough, she could see his eyes following her flurry of limbs whenever she advanced on him, deflecting them with ease. She knew exactly what he was doing. It was a good method of fighting – always let your opponent do all the work. All he had been doing was to deflect her blows, and he never overstepped the imaginary line between them to squeeze in an attack or two. It also didn't help that Sarah was fighting with a wounded arm.

In a matter of minutes, Sarah was tiring, limbs already aching from her continuous straining, and bruises from where Miles had forcefully deflected her arms and legs with his fist. In the corner of her eye, she could see Casey struggling to keep up with Marshall's amazing agility as the Ring agent encircled him with his punches.

Her loss of focusness allowed Miles to land a hard punch to her jaw, causing her to cry out in pain and stagger backwards like a drunkard. Blood trickled from her lip, and she felt a dull ache from the blackening area around her jaw where a bruise was already forming. Closing her eyes for a second or two, she opened them to an unusual sight. Miles was already on the floor, unconscious, and the remains of a broken chair rested on the ground beside him.

Chuck Bartowski stood by the side, a smug look on his face and hand clutching a wooden slab so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He offered her a dazzling smile and one of his slender hands which she accepted gratefully. As Chuck aided her in tying Miles' body up, she noticed that Casey was also busy hog-tying a slightly groggy Marshall, whose nose and mouth were leaking blood.

"Nice one, Bartowski," Casey commented as he tied the last knot, ensuring that Marshall couldn't move a muscle even if he tried.

"Hmm… Maybe I should tie you up whenever we tell you to stay in the car."

"Don't get any ideas, Casey!" Chuck replied with a huff, folding his arms at the older man, who simply shrugged, while Sarah let out a little laugh.

Marshall, who was still partially conscious, growled and struggled against his bonds. He eventually gave up, and laid completely still on the ground. A soft sobbing echoed through the room, and Chuck's head snapped towards his teammates. When he finally deduced that his partners were, in fact, not crying or sobbing, his eyes roamed towards the restrained leader of the Ring, coiled up on the dirty ground.

His eyes darted nervously to Sarah and Casey, while both their eyes told him only one message, "We're spies, not babysitters". Chuck let out a deep sigh, and immediately squatted down so that he was slightly levelled with Marshall. Patting the agent on his head, he comforted him with a tentative smile, "Hey, it's alright, I mean, you could go to the NSA bunker… it's supposed to be great! I mean, I was even offered a spot there! We could be roomies if you'd like."

Marshall snarled at him, and squirmed around even more. The sight reminded Chuck of Peaches 2, when they had first purchased the beloved Springer Spaniel. Peaches the Second, duly named after the original Peaches had "run away", had almost bitten his hand off when a ten-year-old Chuck had first tried to pat him on the head.

Casey reached into his pocket and held the dead man's switch tightly in his hand, making sure that his finger never came close to pressing the switch down. Sarah stood beside him, an expression of anxiety in full bloom. Chuck's eyes widened with each passing moment, as the decision had to be made. One of them had to stay behind to push the button, and destroy the entire base of operations, along with their self. It was simply inevitable.

"I'll stay behind." The three of them spoke in unison, bravery marked on their hearts.

"No, Chuck, you can't."

"Yeah, Bartowski, you're too 'valuable'." Casey emphasized the last word with air quotes.

"Well, too bad, cause I am!" Chuck snatched the dead man's switch from Casey's hand and ran a slight distance from Casey himself.

"Chuck!" Sarah glared with such force that his lower lip quivered, and for a split second, he almost relented.

"Bartowski, if you don't get your ass back here this second, I'll make you eat the damn switch!" Casey growled in anger.

"What difference does that make? I'm still the one who's dying!" Chuck retorted, feeling his wall of bravery suddenly tumble down.

"Chuck, where is all this coming from? Why won't you just listen to us?"

"I don't know! I mean, I'm the one who dragged you guys into this, I should've just refused Marshall's offer in the first place." Chuck sighed, exasperated.

"I'll do it."

The faint whisper came from the floor, which took all three of them by surprise. Chuck's eyes grew wide with shock, as Marshall rolled onto his back. His eyes were bloodshot, and his expression forlorn.

"Give it to me, I'll do it." Marshall called again from the ground, completely deadpanned.

"No." Casey said immediately, as did Sarah. "We all know that he's not even going to push the damn button."

With one look at the wrecked person on the floor, Chuck decided to speak up, recalling Marshall's earlier rant and feeling the familiar tugging of pity in his chest. "Hey, guys? Maybe we should hear it from him."

Marshall looked up expectantly at Chuck, fresh tears glistening in his already red-stained eyes, a silent word of thanks screaming in the gesture. Marshall drew in a shaky breath, preparing himself for the speech that would take him through the darkest alleys of his life.

"When I first met Winnie Koh, we were both seasoned agents working together on an operation in Singapore. We were supposed to find an escaped terrorist and we were working together for a while. We found him trying to swim across to Malaysia, and that was about a year after he had escaped. I was NSA, and she was MSS but this guy was threatening international security, and we were called in to aid the Singapore forces in re-capturing him." Marshall paused, taking in a few deep breaths.

"She was… the most amazing person I'd ever met." Marshall smiled in reminiscence of his deceased girlfriend, breathlessly ending the sentence.

"I asked her to join the Ring. We were the founders, and we trained together for years. That was until I began to fund Fulcrum, and before I started straying from our formal plan of "saving the world". She broke up with me, but she stayed on to train the agents that I recruited." Tears were cascading down his cheeks now as the resonating ache in his heartless chest continued to worsen.

"I knew that she would rebel someday. It was in her headstrong nature." He smirked. "I wasn't going to let her destroy everything that we built up. But I wasn't going to let her die like that, she wasn't supposed to die." His fists clenched unintentionally.

"Please, just… give me the switch. A world without her…it just isn't a world that's worth living in for me," he pleaded, eyes once again filling up with tears. Chuck was on the receiving end of his gaze, and in Marshall's golden orbs, he saw pain; deep incredible pain.

"Give him the switch, Casey." Chuck spoke, his voice laced with pure sympathy for the Ring agent. Casey looked toward him in shock.

"Bartowski, tell me you aren't believing this crap?" Casey spoke through gritted teeth.

"Casey, I understand that you are an unfeeling asshole, but you have no idea what love is. And this," he gestured towards Marshall. "This is love. And if I've lost someone who meant the world to me, I'm not sure how I could survive too." Chuck's eyes darted towards Sarah, who had a ghost of a smile on her lips as she caught his gaze on her.

Casey gave a typical grunt, but it was an unrecognized one. It struck Chuck as more of a whine than a grunt, but it was an unidentified grunt that Chuck decided to name the "I-don't-want-to-do-this-but-I'm-actually-doing-this-and-don't-know-why" grunt. Casey handed their fate – in the shape of a cylindrical metal tube – to Marshall, who closed his eyes tightly, letting more tears fall.

"I'll press this in exactly five minutes, get out of here." Marshall looked up at Team Chuck with shining eyes that spelt the never-ending thanks that he wished to express.

Just as they were about to exit the room, Chuck paused in the doorway, straining his neck to face Marshall again.

"I'm sorry for your loss, man. She was a great girl." Chuck was treated to a genuine smile from Marshall.

"That, she was." The restrained agent breathed, revelling in the fact that he would be with her in a matter of minutes.

"Oh, and, how do we actually get out of here?" Chuck asked nervously, fearful that he would be pushing Marshall too hard.

"Just run straight. I designed the place so that if you kept going straight for long enough, you'd be out. Everyone else would typically go through doors and stuff. No one runs straight." If Marshall could shrug, he would have. Chuck thanked him and wished him well, patting him lightly on thee head before darting out of the room.

True to his word, Chuck, Casey and Sarah found themselves surrounded by sand and withering shrubs in a matter of minutes after travelling down the oh-so-familiar corridors of the underground complex. They were above ground now, and it so happened that night had fallen. Finding the familiar jeep that Chuck had been confined into hours earlier, the three agents drove until they ran out of road – which was basically downtown LA – with Casey at the wheel. After a few seconds of driving, spirals and pillars of orange flames shot up into the sky like fireworks, accompanied by a deafening explosion that rendered all of their ears temporarily deaf.

Chuck clasped Sarah's tightly in his own, as she rested her head on his shoulder and his head on hers. The flames that rocketed into the sky illuminated their road, and Chuck could swear that he saw two figures rising through the flames, eventually disappearing into the night sky.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading!

Venillashiz(:


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